Heavy traffic expected at Tuas, Woodlands checkpoints over Vesak Day weekend
The Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) issued an advisory to warn travellers to expect delays at the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints.
If you are planning to drive to Malaysia for the upcoming long weekend, plan for heavy traffic.
The Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) issued an advisory to warn travellers to expect delays at the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints.
Traffic leaving Singapore will be especially heavy on May 29 and May 30. Traffic entering Singapore will be heavy on June 1.
The ICA said that with security checks, traffic build-up is inevitable and urged travellers to adjust travel plans.
~News courtesy of Straits Times~
Battlestar Galactica at Universal Studios to re-open on May 27
The new Battlestar Galactica ride at Universal Studios Singapore, which re-opens on May 27.
AFTER being out of action for almost two years, Universal Studios Singapore's main attraction, the Battlestar Galactica, will welcome passengers on board once more from Thursday (May 27).
Since the theme park in Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) opened in 2010, the roller-coaster ride has gone through ups and downs. It opened to much fanfare but was closed a few times as a result of safety issues and technical faults.
The ride, which is made up of two duelling roller coasters, was last closed in July 2013.
In a media release, RWS said it has since conducted an extensive review of the Battlestar Galactica and all its components and systems. Its previous four-seater vehicles have also been replaced with new two-seater ones.
Said Mr John Hallenbeck, senior vice-president of attractions at RWS: "The new vehicles will allow riders to feel closer to the experience. It will be as if every rider has their own window seat."
RWS will give more details of the revamp on Thursday.
Creating a brand new ride in a theme park typically costs at least US$30 million (S$40.1 million), said Mr Kevin Cheong, chairman of the Association of Singapore Attractions. However, for repairs of mechanical faults, the manufacturer is likely to have borne part of the cost.
Tourism industry experts say the long closure of the ride might have cost the theme park roughly 3 per cent to 5 per cent of its overall visitorship, a figure considered negligible.
In countries like the United States, such a closure might cost a theme park roughly 15 per cent to 20 per cent of its visitorship.
"There are not as many adrenaline junkies in this part of the world as compared to the United States. Its closure might have discouraged some adrenaline junkies from going to the theme park, but I do not think it had a big impact," said Mr Cheong.
The Battlestar Galactica's past problems are unlikely to make people think twice about riding it, said Mr Benjamin Cassim, senior lecturer for Temasek Polytechnic's diploma in leisure and resort management course.
He added: "If anything, there would be a greater sense of safety with the reopened ride as it has meant that the park owners have taken the effort and time to ensure optimum safety of the ride."
Student Koh Xin Rui, 26, is excited about going on the Battlestar Galactica again.
She said: "For them to close it for so long, I am sure they have done what they can to make sure safety is not compromised."
~News courtesy of Straits Times~
New deadline for High Speed Rail project
Malaysia and Singapore have agreed to re-assess the initial target of a 2020 deadline to complete High Speed Rail Project (HSR) connecting both countries, given its complexity and scale.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said the development of the project will take five years, while the tender and design processes will take a year each, thus it would push the initial target of 2020 further.
"Bilateral issues on the matter will be settled by the year's end, and we will announce a new deadline for the project," Najib told reporters during a joint press conference between Najib and his Singapore counterpart Lee Hsien Loong at the Malaysia-Singapore Sixth Leaders Retreat today.
Lee also announced that the HSR terminus for the Singapore's side will be located in Jurong East which is being developed by the republic as its next central business district.
The announcement follows Malaysia's announcement last year that the HSR project on its side will start from Bandar Malaysia in Sungai Besi.
Malaysia's Prime Minister Najib Razak (L) and Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong (R) attend a joint press conference after a meeting at a hotel in Singapore. Najib is here on a two-day visit for the 6th Singapore-Malaysia Leaders' retreat.
~News courtesy of New Straits Times~
MRT link to Johor Baru unlikely before 2020
50 YEARS OF SINGAPORE-MALAYSIA TIES: The Malaysian delegation (left) led by PM Najib Razak (wearing red tie) and the Singapore delegation (right), led by PM Lee Hsien Loong, at the Shangri-La Hotel yesterday.
Hopping onto an MRT train and arriving in Johor Baru is unlikely to be a reality before 2020, as Malaysia has yet to determine a station site for its end of the line.
This Rapid Transit System link was first announced by Singapore and Malaysia in May 2010, and was initially targeted to be ready by 2018.
This was pushed to 2019 when Singapore decided to lengthen the Thomson Line - to which the cross-border MRT line will link.
Rail construction experts said even if work started today, the line would be completed by 2020 at the earliest. But work is unlikely to start any time soon because no decision has yet been made on where the JB station will be.
~News courtesy of Straits Times~
